


The What-If Game

by arisanite



Category: The Hating Game - Sally Thorne
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Pool Party, what if
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-12-08 22:55:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11656398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arisanite/pseuds/arisanite
Summary: Imagine there was no black dress. There was no dream, no elevator kiss, no paintball, no tension at all. Imagine Lucy getting everything she wanted from the start -- except the one she really needed and deserved. This story covers what would have happened if the two stubborn corporate mules did not try to act on their feelings.





	The What-If Game

****Lucy Hutton was fresh and fired up from the moment she got out of bed.

 

It was the day she knew she was going to prove to her fellow prison-mate, co-worker, and nemesis that it’s a bad idea to challenge the determined runt-of-the-litter to update her work clothes and move out of her wondrous and colorful retro-chic comfort zone. She was sick of being belittled and underestimated by that conceited, precious, stupid unicorn whose changing-color shirts were a testament to his own insanity -- and today she was going to prove him wrong.

 

“Weird little retro costumes,” she scoffed at one of the Papa Smurfs sitting on her shelf, smiling at her, as she slipped into the diamond fishnet thighs that she handpicked almost a year ago, while going on a retail therapy with her then friend Val. “I’ll show him! I’ll definitely --”

 

She suddenly came to a halt as she saw her lingerie-clad self in her bedroom mirror. Hearing her heartbeat as she glanced at her shape and how much it revealed, Lucy Hutton suddenly realized that maybe she made a tiny misjudgment on choosing this outfit for this particular day.

 

 _I’m a madwoman,_ she thought. Running a hand through the patterns, Lucy wondered if she has gotten carried away and she let her anger for her co-worker get the better of her.

 

 _Is this what Joshua Templeman does to me?_ She thought as she winced, glad to have caught her in the midst of her insanity as she removed the tiny black dress from its hanger -- returning it in her closet. _I almost walked into that train wreck if I dared to appear like this today._ She tried to imagine the looks she would have gotten from the other departments. _Respectable Lucy Hutton looking like a high-class call girl_. That would definitely turn some heads. She tried to imagine the knowing yet exasperated expression Jeanette would have given her.

 

And who knows how Joshua Templeman would have reacted? He would have laughed, probably teased her with words that would send her off the rails, stomping her red heels into the shiny marble floor, hard enough to make it crack. Or he would have made her feel uncomfortable with those piercing blue, serial-killer eyes that would have looked as if he was slowly undressing her of that tiny black outfit --

 

Lucy shook her head, trying to dispel that dirty thought of Joshua Templeman seemingly lusting after her. Even the thought of it was so _foreign_ to her hate-ridden thoughts of him.

 

 _I should provoke Joshua Templeman on another day_ , Lucy decided as she pulled a black and red polkadot dress from her closet and flung it over her luscious diamond fishnet tights. _I should know better than letting him get the better of me._

  


***

  


It was a Pale Yellow work day. In fact, Lucy has lost track of how many times the colors have cycled over, considering she has probably seen that dazzlingly crisp black shirt for at least fives times since she attempted to dress up in black herself.

 

In the span of time that the shirt color spectrum has rotated, so many things have happened.

 

As much as Lucy was aiming to get her book retreat proposal approved, neither hers or whatever hell Joshua has been planning has been overlooked following the fact that Mr. Bexley has been bullied by his wife into having the whole company stay at her newest business acquisition -- a classy beach-side resort called Elseworld Diamond Resorts, a place where her upper-class, snobby friends frequent.

 

Helene seemed to be fine with it, as long as she cannot be bothered by activities and can drink her _Romanee-Conti_ in peace by the poolside. And of course, to be far away from Mr. Bexley’s toadlike self who was this close to jumping into the pool like an over-excited frog until he remembered his doctor’s orders not to do belly-flops.

 

Lucy however, had to deal with having her room booked just next to the Spawn of Hell himself. Knowing that there was no way that Helene or Fat Little Dick would take care of the operations or the logistic preparations, Lucy quickly took over the day it has been announced -- even so close to snatching the brochure and leaflets of the Elseworld Resorts from Joshua who seemed to be sporting a curious look on his face as he read through it.

 

Why he had that look on, Lucy had no idea. She tried not to think of him imagining her in a retro polkadot swimsuit. That pervert.

 

Eventually, Josh took off to a corner, grumbling as he computed the expenses involved in this unplanned retreat that came out of nowhere (and he was grumbling all the while that “he had a better idea to bring everyone together”, loud enough for the long-suffering Lucy to hear). She ignored him and excitedly talked with some of the other girls on what they should be wearing for the office pool party on the last day.

 

As for Lucy, she was slowly forgetting about Josh as she began to focus her attentions on the sweet and charming Danny Fletcher from design. A small budding romance has started between them ever since they had that little chat during the boardroom meeting where Alan had his 50th birthday cake, although most of their interactions were reduced to flirting in the mailroom and cheerful “Hi!”s when they passed each other down the hall. It didn’t really help Lucy forget about the brooding reincarnation of Rumplestiltskin who sat across her in the 10th floor, considering that whenever Danny tried to get closer to her -- Josh would appear out of nowhere, his laser eyes at the ready. Sometimes she even wondered if Templeman was ever a vulture in one of his horrible little lives before he became the Watch Gargoyle perched on the executive floor.

 

However, Lucy knew that her romance with Danny is doomed from the start. The boy was due for resignation soon, and their coveted hours together are ticking away.

 

She did however, try to meet him outside of the office -- just to support the little flutter she felt in her stomach when she found him smiling at her the moment she stepped out of the elevator for lunch at one point. But despite the nice dinner, how they tend to be similar in so many ways (from strawberries to Shakespeare), Lucy still cannot erase that sour note she tasted after she shared a kiss with Danny.

 

It was a note that just felt… off.

 

That note rang louder on the Weekend Resort Stay from hell where Lucy realized that she’d be hanging around with Sulky McSulk-Face Templeman for two whole days and one night. And all Lucy could think of is how she could have just used that long weekend to possibly go home to her parents and have all the strawberry rhubarb pies she can consume just to wash away that longing for home.

The whole weekend would have been fine, if only their rented coach didn’t get a flat tire, or if the airline was not delayed for an hour. It didn’t help at all how everyone was so enthusiastic to see the pools and the ocean, and Lucy found herself stuck with a beach-hating Scrooge who just stretched lazily in one of those pool-side benches with his sunglasses on, refusing to participate in any water games.

 

And what infuriated Lucy is that Joshua never took his top off. He’s either in a loose wifebeater he probably bought in Gucci, or a black surfguard that did not do justice to those muscles she has been imagining.

 

It didn’t help that she felt a tall shadow hawking around her whenever she found the time to have a little chat with Danny. She tried not to think of the teasing expression etched on Templeman’s face when she does don her swimsuit for the pool party.

  
  


***

  


After a day of island-hopping, eating fresh seafood on the beach, and watching her fellow Gamins and Bexleys drop their stereotypes and become sun-kissed beach babies, Lucy was ready for the night’s glamorous pool party that was hosted by Mrs. Bexley herself.

 

She stepped out wearing this red, black, and white retro swimsuit that tied up on her back. She curled her hair a bit, giving her an adorable ‘50s look, when “I Love Lucy” was in fashion. In fact, if her father ever saw her hair down like this, she would have probably gotten the referenced joke that she often whined about when she was small.

 

A few catcalls from some already-soaked Bexleys who were taking advantage of the overflowing bar, she tried to ignore someone’s dropped jaw as she strode past the pool-side to wave at a few Gamins chilling by the jacuzzi. Looking around, Lucy can’t seem to find the one she was looking for --

 

“You look wonderful, Lucy,” she heard from behind her. She turned around to find Danny completely dressed -- with his luggage in tow.

 

Hearing something within her crumbling, Lucy found herself saying, “We aren’t checking out until tomorrow noon, Danny.”

 

He bashfully smiled and ran a hand through his golden curls, the little loops bouncing making her chest hurt a bit -- for some reason she doesn’t understand. Everything has been awkward with Danny lately, and as much as she’s enjoying it, she could not say if he was too.

 

“Something came up,” he said, trying to look away from her shocked blue eyes. “A new acquisition has pushed through, and I should be meeting my business partners tomorrow noon for the contract.”

 

Lucy found herself pouting. “But the party --”

 

Danny shrugs, giving her a sad smile. “I checked with Mr. Bexley and Jeanette and you should be fine without me. After all, I was officially resigned last Friday.” For some reason, the wind grew colder and Lucy felt like she’s wilting in her beautiful swimsuit.

 

“I’ve got to go Lucy,” Danny whispered in her ear, seen by all -- including someone lying in a pool bench in the shadows. “I’ll see you around when you get back in town.”

 

He turned around, suitcase in hand, heading for the exit.

 

Lucy on the other hand, had to snap out of her senses after five whole minutes before she decided that it was now a good time for her to take advantage of the overflowing bar beside the pool.

 

As the night wore on, a band came out and played jazz songs at Helene’s request, Mr. Bexley has fallen asleep in his hammock, and Lucy found herself staring at her 15th empty margarita glass on the bar. The Gamins and the Bexleys already had started a drunken competition in the pool, and a guest from another room has started to circle the pretty Lucy in her retro swimsuit like a hawk.

 

The girl had raised a finger, trying to signal to the bartender for another margarita -- when she felt someone sit beside her on the stool, blocking the view of this 40-something man who was trying to peer down Lucy’s swimsuit. The bartender was about to hand her another glass of margarita, when someone else took it and placed a full glass of water in front of her.

 

“Easy on the drinks, Shortcake,” she heard that familiar voice that made her blood boil. Somehow, she felt the anger within her taking over, drowning out that empty feeling of having lost something. “The night is young and you don’t want to miss Bentley and Sarah’s little spectacle with the pool noodles.”

 

Lucy groaned, knowing well enough that she knows who was sitting beside her. “Leave me alone, Joshua,” she hissed, taking a swig of the water and pushing him away. “I don’t need to hear what you have to say.”

 

The man who was now wearing a nice polo shirt over his beach shorts, showing off his muscled calves, raised his hands in retaliation. “I haven’t said anything yet,” he muttered, getting up and walking right behind her, as he nursed a glass of whisky. “I haven’t said anything _all day_. Shouldn’t you give me some credit for leaving you alone?”

 

Lucy growled. They were halfway through the poolside, with Joshua following behind her, when she did a drunken spin and pushed the man on the chest.

 

She did not understand why exactly, but the tiles near the pool was probably that slippery, as she helpless watched her nemesis drop his one-third glass of whiskey in the pool… followed by a louder splash as a tall body fell into the water.

 

The first thing that Lucy can imagine is the boy sporting a black eye at work while wearing his pale blue shirt, with Jeanette’s memo in blinding monitor-white on her computer.

 

“Josh!” She screamed as she dropped on her knees and dropped her empty margarita glass in the pool as well. Contemplating of removing her sarong and jumping in after him, she was relieved when he rose from the water, dark brown hair drenched as she watched droplets fall from his muscled jaw, lining his sun-tanned neck as they met the rest of the water in the pool.

 

Shaking his head as he got out of the water, he turned to grab a nearby towel on one of the benches, trying to ignore the guilty expression on the girl’s face.

 

“Josh -- I --”

 

He just ignored her as he sat on one of the far-flung benches and started to dry his hair. Lucy, still trying to assess the situation toddled towards him, hands on her chest, as she found herself staring at how the white polo shirt clung to his pectorals. She really wished that he could take his shirt off so she can confirm the deepest, darkest theories at the back of her head.

 

“Quite a strong push from such a tiny girl,” Josh chuckled, reminding Lucy why she does not try to argue with this madman on a regular day.

 

“I’m really sorry --” she sputtered, though there’s a Lucy inside her head cheering her on and jumping for joy for having exacted vengeance on her stiff-upper-lipped nemesis.

 

Throwing the towel on the bench behind him, Josh looked up at her with slightly reddened eyes that were recently in contact with pool chemicals, before looking around the pool. The rowdy bunch of Gamins and Bexleys in the water were on their nth bottle, and the majority have already retreated to their rooms. He looked around again and found that the bench he was sitting on was obscured by several palm trees near the pool. He then turned to look back at a now-skeptical Lucy, who has noticed that his eyes has gone dark.

 

“Come sit with me for a while here, will you?” Josh said, patting the side of the pool bench beside him.

 

Lucy crossed her arms, unconsciously highlighting the roundness of her chest in that tight and form-fitting swimsuit. “Nuh-uh.”

 

“Come on,” he goaded, as he shook his head like a shaggy dog, causing droplets to fall everywhere. Lucy somewhat found comfort with the thought that his immaculate hair is gone. It just doesn’t help that he looked prettier with his hair disheveled like that. “I won’t bite.”

 

She was about to retort again when she felt his strong grip closing in on her wrist, as she was suddenly pulled towards him -- seating her just right beside him.

 

So close.

 

She never thought she’d be doing the Staring Game this close. The last time this happened was when he was standing in front of her, toe-to-toe, thinking that she was sneaking a look at his planner. It felt like a lifetime ago.

 

“You asked how you can make it up to me,” Joshua Templeman said softly. She never imagined him saying anything softly. He was always either speaking in a lazy, sarcastic tone, or in a very clipped, professional manner. She never imagined Joshua to be… soft. And yet she couldn’t stop staring at his half-lidded eyes, with those long lashes cresting against his cheek.

 

She was too drunk to even notice that he took her hand again, and awkwardly placed it on his bicep. Lucy felt her drunken self tremble. She didn’t imagine that bicep to be that -- _big_.

 

“I fell in the water and I was hurt here,” he pointed using her fingers, indicating towards his arm. “Maybe you can make me feel better by massaging it a bit.”

 

Lucy felt like scowling, but her good-natured heart got the better of her. However, she just could not admit it to herself how rewarding it is to finally discover how big those biceps were underneath those expensive suits. She weighed the muscles in her tiny hands, giving it a little squeeze, before moving upwards. She was unable to hide the amusement on her face, her wide blue eyes seemingly memorizing and filing every vein she felt up that arm --

 

“You’ve got your Horny eyes on again,” Josh whispered. Lucy was sure he was wearing a stupid, evil smile on his face -- but when she turned to glare at him, it wasn’t etched on his face at all. In fact those eyes were ink blue, and full of wonder.

 

“Shut up,” she said in a garbled manner, glaring at the beautiful muscled arm that was making her _feel things_. “You’re just always so mean to me! I don’t understand why won’t you just smile back at me --” She has started to babble as she sat beside him, now letting her hands explore as it strayed on his shoulder, at the based of his neck, and now movingtowards the other shoulder. Lucy was still clearly under the influence of alcohol and had no idea she’s going past her designated boundary. Josh however, didn’t seem to mind.

 

“And you always hated me --”

 

To her surprise, a pair of big hands suddenly grabbed her small ones. In her drunken haze, Lucy looked up only to find herself staring in those blue eyes -- now slowly being engulfed by his irises once more.

 

“Lucy,” he exhaled her name, as if she was the only oxygen he can breathe. “I _never_ hated you.”

 

The thing with alcohol is that despite being quick to have an effect with the way it traverses into someone’s blood, it makes understanding and decoding in the brain slower than what its supposed to be. In Lucy’s case, the words _I never hated you_ was taking so long to register, that she barely noticed the sound of splashing caused by what’s left of their co-workers leaving the pool. She also barely noticed Josh’s wide palm slowly cupping her jaw, tilting her face up.

 

Seemingly entranced by his eyes that were now dark as the sky, she slowly found her vision getting darker as she felt the man’s face getting closer to hers, blocking out her line of sight.

 

And that was when she felt something soft and wet touch her lips.

 

Luckily for alcohol, it managed to trap _the real Lucy_ who definitely hates Josh inside her head, seemingly trying to scramble to get all the lights back on to realize what was going on. While the rest of her was going through a new experience, with her eyes closed and her hands wrapped around a tall, beautiful’s man’s shoulders -- as she played a game with him that she never played before.

 

Lucy felt herself sink in a bubble, where she doesn’t care who sees, and she definitely cares what she was doing. And what she was definitely focusing on at the moment was having her greatest nemesis in the whole universe, kissing her face. His lips were soft and sweet, and she can surely taste the whiskey he was drinking when he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. Without regret and without abandon, she leaned into the kiss, as she suckled on his lower lip, causing her playmate to moan.

 

That was the real Lucy’s cue -- as she managed to turn the lights on inside her darkened mind, only to end up screaming when she realized what was really going on.

 

“I need water,” she lied quickly as she get up, unceremoniously pushing the tall man back onto the pool bench. With her face heating up and her body shaking, Lucy doesn’t care if she uses wine or water to douse the fire within her.

 

“Lucy, where are you going --”

 

She barely got up when she felt everything around her black out.

  
  


***

  


She was cranky when she got up in the morning.

 

She does not know how she ended up in her room the morning after, but she had an inkling of what really happened when she saw her co-assistant to the CEO emerge from his room next to hers, rubbing his arms as if he carried something very heavy.

 

 _I am not that bad of a deadweight_. Lucy tried not to entertain the thought of Joshua Templeman touching her while unconscious.

 

She was so not herself the whole day that she barely noticed the smile that her co-assistant to the CEO tried to give her the moment they were assigned to check the whole group out the next day. Lucy spent the whole flight trying to nurse her gigantic headache.

 

She found herself lucky, unable to remember anything after Danny leaving and her finishing whatever was left in the poolside bar. What really bothered her was that she has stopped thinking about Danny after the whole Long Weekend disaster. After all, she was too busy trying to magic her migraine away on the way home with aspirin -- while subtly looking at Josh sleeping in his plane seat during the whole flight.

 

Josh never really said anything though, except that shadow of a smile that she thinks is spreading on his face whenever she’d look at him. Lucy felt like there was something seemingly missing…

 

But once they got back in the city, she realized that she has better things to worry about other than Josh’s looming cloud or stolen glances.

 

Days wore on once more and the moment of truth was closing in. The interview for the Chief Operating Officer was held on a White Shirt Monday a week before the disaster of a retreat, and she remembered playing the Stiff Upper-Lip game with Joshua in the elevator on the way to meet the panel who would decide her fate. She barely remembered how Joshua prepared to take part in his own private interview, but she does remember his face resembling something that she’d recognize as a smile (if he were someone else) the moment she stepped out of the boardroom, looking pumped.

 

It was now a Black Shirt Payday Friday and today is the day when the new COO would be announced by Helene and Fat Little Dick. Believing that it was a time to celebrate, Lucy had put on her favorite new dress to work, along with her heels that matched her Flamethrower lipstick. She marched into the office with her head up high, knowing full well that she was going to win the game. Although she did tell herself that if she doesn’t -- she will be fine and raise the white flag up with dignity.

 

After all, Joshua has been unusually bearable -- and even kinder for the past few days. Although Lucy couldn’t help but think, that maybe he’s just trying to be kind before he crushes her in the end. Such intrusive thoughts just couldn’t leave her mind.

 

And yet, she could not explain the bouquet of roses that were sitting on her desk the morning after they got back to work from the Long Weekend Retreat of Hell.

 

Nor could she explain the way Josh looked at her with an expression that was seemingly mixed with concern and laced with restraint, the one time they rode the elevator last week. It made him look as if he was having a horrid stomachache just by looking at her, but there was a voice inside Lucy’s head that told her otherwise.

 

Now the big day has arrived.

 

She had arrived on the 10th floor, only to find it empty. She turned around, ready to go into a banter with Joshua about having the job and the last word, but she only found an empty chair and a pristine desk. In fact, she was wondering why it seemed neater than before.

 

Settling in front of her own desk, Lucy found herself straightening up, primping her hair, and reapplying her lipstick for three times in front of the reflective walls as she repeated what she had to say to her long-time nemesis’ face once he walks out from those elevator doors.

 

 _May the best person win_ , she said inside her head as she tried to find the politically correct term to suit the description. _And we all know that person is me._

 

Her blue eyes were glowing, just imagining the shocked expression forming on Joshua Templeman’s face when she is announced as the new COO of Bexley and Gamin. _It was a fair fight, Joshua Templeman_ , Lucy thought as she ran a hand through her hair to temper her curls. _But you know it would have been more fun if you didn’t hate me that much_.

 

Lucy could not understand why but she felt something within her sink like a deflated balloon.

 

Shaking off the ominous feeling, she stood up and glanced at her determined image being reflected on the wall past Josh’s empty station, trying to pump up her ego before the tall man walks in and breaks it down into pieces once more.

 

Putting on her determined face as she can see through the wall, she was pretending to be delivering her victory speech in front of the man who denied her dignity and respect for a year when --

 

_Ding!_

 

“Speak of the devil,” Lucy muttered under her breath as she sat on her seat and pretended to look busy. If she was going to win (or lose), she better look as if she didn’t care. Since that kind of attitude was cool. Well, it was cool when _he_ did it…

 

He strode in, wearing a suit as black as his soul. Or so what she’d usually say.

 

She watched him with eagle eyes as he quietly floated his way over those long legs of his towards his desk. With apt attention, she was waiting for him to sit down, throw an insult in the lines of “ _You’re so pathetic, Lucinda Hutton -- watching my every move just like that_ ”, when he suddenly turned 45 degrees to his left -- to face her.

 

Lucy didn’t understand why, but this made an electric jolt course through the length of her spine.

 

Before she can retort, Joshua grimaced to himself before slowly walking towards where she was sitting. Step after step, heartbeat after another, Lucy found himself standing right in front of her desk. He had spread his wide palms over the surface of her desk, as he leaned over -- looking her in the eye with his inkshot blue ones.

 

For a moment, Lucy thought she forgot to breathe. Everything she swore that she’d say to his face -- it all went out of the window as she got caught up first hand in the Staring Game he started.

 

Then she thought she imagined his lips move.

 

“How you doin, Little Lucy?” She thought she also imagined the sparkle in his eye.

 

“Mighty fine, Big Josh,” she said with a flair, snapping out of her trance. “Today’s the big day -- and you know what that means.”

 

There it was -- a shadow of a smile, starting to curl from the right side of his mouth. There was something about that mouth, as Lucy just can’t stop looking at it. Or thinking about it. As she was expecting it to open and give her a usual retort -- it didn’t. In fact, he stayed in that position for a little while longer, as if he didn’t want to leave. Those blue eyes bore into her own, seemingly trying to find something -- _catch something --_ whether it was a memory or an expression. It was as if he was trying to memorize this moment.

 

“You’re right,” he said almost as a whisper as he removed his palms from her desk and straightened up, pocketing them. “Everything is going to change now.”

 

Lucy felt as if this was the eye of the storm and the retort is about to arrive to hit her straight in the gut.

 

However, the moment he was about to open his mouth -- the door to Mr. Bexley’s office burst open. Out strode his really sullen-looking boss who looked as if he lost the lottery, followed by Helene with a giant smile on her face. For some reason, this made something inside Lucy bubble with joy, as she barely noticed how Josh dropped his eyes on the floor and moved to stand near the wall.

 

Jeanette from HR was quickly tottering behind Helene as they both ignored Mr. Bexley who took one look in Joshua’s direction, before shaking his head, muttering to himself. “Hell in a handbasket,” he seemed to murmur, before he took a wry glance in Lucy’s direction -- just as he pressed the down button on the elevator.

 

“Quickly,” there was a cheery tone in Jeanette’s voice as she ushered Lucy to her feet, harrying her towards the elevator. “They will be making the announcement downstairs in the boardroom --” She makes a face and calls to the quiet ten-foot pole standing near his desk. “Josh, you better come down as well! We don’t want to miss you there!”

 

Lucy made the mistake of looking at Josh’s face before the elevator doors closed. She was sure she saw his brow furrowed with his eyes cast directly on her. _Was that concern?_

 

The elevator pinged close before she can take a better look.

 

When she was gone, Josh pulled out a brown box from underneath his desk and dumped his calculator in it -- hearing it clatter loudly against the cardboard surface.

  
  


***

  
  


“ _Congratulations Lucy!_ ”

 

It seemed like the whole office was so pleased that she was the one who got the job -- and not _anybody_ else. There were pink balloons strewn about the boardroom. Helene was beaming wildly as she presented her celebratory cake, which was of course, stuffed with strawberries on top. Beside her Mr. Bexley looked sullen, as if he only turned up at the announcement meeting to get a slice of cake.

 

“I am so glad they chose you!” Julie exclaimed as she hugged Lucy’s arm. She wouldn’t look that happy when Lucy demands her reports to be on time in the next hour.

 

“There’s no other girl perfect for the job!” Rob from Finance who barely noticed her exclaimed as she shook her hand.

 

Lucy however, was so elated with the development and was still in-shock to even register everything properly. She started shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with everyone, and it’s like everyone forgot if they’re Gamin and Bexley as of the moment as they wore pink stickers that read “Congratulations Lucy!” At the back of her head, she couldn’t help but imagine if they’d show the same sentiment for Joshua if he was the one who got the promotion.

 

And Josh. Speaking about Josh…

 

Lucy found herself looking around and glancing at the boardroom door, wishing he’d turn up. Suddenly, she felt like the game was half-won. There was no Josh sulking in the corner. No Josh to gloat that “ _I let you win._ ” No Josh to see her victory at all.

 

Suddenly, something with her starts to deflate once more.

 

“Where is Josh?” She exclaimed as she turned to Helene who was happily watching the victory party unfold. “This is just too good to be true --”

 

Handing her a piece of cake, Helene turned to Lucy and smiled. “You always thought he’d have the upper hand, do you darling? I was so sure that you’d make it -- whether he was in the race or not.”

 

It felt like a part of Lucy’s ego was popped, like a balloon. “He _wasn’t_ in the race?” She had to put her plate down. “What do you mean he _wasn’t_ in the race?”

 

There was a knowing smile on Helene’s face.

 

“He was never in the race to start with,” she said, placing a hand on Lucy’s cheek. “He filed his resignation in a week before the interviews began.”

 

The shocked face that Lucy displayed was obscene. There was something that just riled her up and made her so angry that she felt like she was competing in thin air. It would have been enough of an insult to leave her there in the running. After everything she has done, the computations, the unlikely and awkward alliance with Danny for the e-book digitalization project, and the gut-wrenching interview she had to make -- it was all for naught because Joshua bailed out of the race?

 

 _Did he think I was of no challenge to him?!_ Her blue eyes were watering with what seemed to be fury now.

 

“That’s not --” Lucy stuttered. “That’s not fair! It’s like he let me win! Why would he do that --”

 

Before Helene could answer, Lucy was out the door and was pressing the up button on the elevator. _If it was true that Josh already has resigned on the week before the interviews, that means that it would have been two weeks from today!_ Lucy thought, as she checked her clock that was ticking towards 5pm. And considering their two-week notice policy --

 

_Ding!_

 

Heels tap dancing on the marble superhighway, Lucy saw to her horror how her ex-co-assistant-to-the-CEO nemesis had already cleared his table. Not a speck and pristine, like how he always wanted it. And there was one thing left on it -- a red rose.

 

Smug and suspicious, Lucy tried to ignore the way her heart thundered against her chest as she made her way towards her nemesis’ table to pick up the flower. _There’s probably an insult or a comeback written on this_ , she thought.

  


_I only wish you the best of luck, Shortcake._

  


Holding the rose, Lucy felt her shoulders sag.

 

“I **_never_** _hated you._ ”

 

It does not make sense, but those words have been ringing in her ear ever since she came home from the Long Weekend of Disaster. But as she hold the parting gift her nemesis has left her, suddenly -- _all her memories hidden by alcohol began to fall back into place._

 

And that’s when Lucy’s tears began to fall.

  
  


***

  


She can barely see through the tears clouding her eyes and making her mascara runny. Pounding repeatedly on the B level knowing it won’t really make the elevator go any faster, Lucy was praying that the sasquatch wasn’t that fast enough to pack everything and was still standing in front of his car. She was sure she did not have the dignity after this to ask Jeanette for Joshua’s address just to apologize to him. Even if it’s against HR policy.

 

Luckily, the moment the door opened -- Lucy saw it. The sporty black car with the trunk open. She can still see the calculator sitting on top of all his files and his neatly packed laptop. Before she can retort, it slammed closed.

 

That’s when she found herself looking at the tall figure standing beside it.

 

Lucy could not explain that feeling in her chest that wanted to burst out.

 

“Why did you kiss me?!” The words came out a bit raspy.

 

He turned around, mouth agape. After perusing her from head to toe, Josh clearly took another minute to compose his thoughts and said, “I thought you knew why by now, Shortcake.”

 

“But I thought you hated me --”

 

The laugh he made was so sarcastic, it almost offended poor Lucy who was standing in front of the elevator -- still quite shaken.

 

“Lucy,” he said, wearing a shadow of a grin this time. “Lucy, you never listened to what I said. I **_never_ ** hated you.”

 

The face she made was priceless when it finally sunk in.

 

“In fact,” he added. “It might just be the opposite.”

 

And that was when she was rewarded with a smile.

 

A true smile.

 

From Joshua Templeman.

 

The one thing she ever wanted from the start.

 

She approached him cautiously, eyes still wet. When he realized that she has been crying, his face grew softer too as he found himself shyly pocketing his hands once more. But once he lifted those eyes up to meet her, it was brimming with a whole new emotion that Lucy has not seen before. _Concern._

 

“Can we play a new game?” She said, choked up.

 

“As long as it’s with you,” he whispered back, stepping closer to her.

 

“It’s called the Starting Over Game,” she exclaimed, putting her hands together in front of her skirt, looking up at him. “Whatever happened in the past doesn’t matter. We start again here.”

 

“I like the sound of that.” The sarcasm in his voice was gone.

 

Sticking her hand out, Lucy barely realized it was shaking. “Hi! I’m Lucinda Elizabeth Hutton. I am now the new Chief Operating Officer of Bexley and Gamin. I very much want to be your friend.” The smile she makes through her tears made Josh’s brow furrow even further.

 

He reaches out and gently takes her hand. “Hi, my name is Joshua Templeman. I will soon become the new Finance Head of Sanderson Print.”

 

Lucy almost snatched her hand out of his grip. Of course he went to the competition. That was the only way to describe him. But what he said next made her want to pull him right into her arms.

 

“And I think I’ve been waiting forever for the new COO of Bexley and Gamin to know how much she means to me,” he whispered, as he gingerly rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. “And how much I adore her.”

 

Lucy is clearly smiling now. This was all she ever wanted. And with the way Josh pulled her close, she knew that this was all he ever wanted too.

 

It may have been a completely different situation, but they still end up here.

 

But sometimes Lucy wonders, what would have had happened if she decided to wear that black dress many months ago.

  



End file.
